Jeremy said to them:
"I am laughing because your books are upside down and you have the wrong books!" Jeremy said as he laughed again. Jason looked at Jeremy and said:
"Did you change these books, Jeremy?"
"N-N-No I d-d-d-di-didn't!" Jeremy said, "I just noticed them, and the first riddle seemed to fit what I noticed!"
Aaron looked at Jeremy and stared at him for quite a while. He thought if he could make Jeremy feel uncomfortable, Jeremy would tell him the truth. But Jeremy was telling the truth! The books were straightened out and they went about the business again, but then Jason wanted to know what the rest of the riddles were. He reread his riddle:
"Why is one tree shorter than the other? There are two trees no one bothers?" He looked around at his brother Joshua who looked at him and was thinking about it. In a very logical mind, he thought out loud:
"Okay if one tree is shorter, that could be Jeremy, Then two trees no one bothers, that is Jason and me!" He said to his brothers and everyone.
"That could be true. Because everyone did pick on me a lot when I was a kid! Jeremy said. Jason nodded that could be it, but what was the last riddle, and would Jason be able to solve it? Although Lottie had read the last riddle, it wasn't meant for her, or was it?
They finished their meal, fixed the books, and left the saloon and went about their daily chores. Wondering what was meant by the third riddle.
"Jason, do you think the third riddle is about you? After all the first two were about Jeremy and me? Said Joshua as he went up to camp with his brothers to do their chores. Jason was silent, he was thinking, it would be short sighted if it were just about him and his brothers. The whole town had almost been devastated with the books being wrong. Jason knew he had to do something. He turned to Jeremy and asked him:
" Jeremy, could you go get me that tablet of paper I left on the table this morning? I want to write some things down." Jason then turned to Joshua and said: Josh, I want you to go to the Mercantile and find some more writing tablets, if Ben has any and buy up all of them!" Joshua looked confused. Jason smiled and sent his brother to the store. Jeremy came back about 20 minutes later, and Joshua was about 30 minutes later as well.
"Ring the alarm, I want every logger to come here now!" Jason said. Jeremy started to ring the alarm and Joshua went down to the town to get some of the men from Mr. Stemples shop.
"Joshua, why are you taking my men we have orders to fill!" said Aaron.
"Mr. Stemple, Jason asked me to have you come along as well. I don't know what he is doing. He did not tell me. Aaron was not happy but went anyway. If Jason said he needed someone or something, Aaron, although reluctant, wanted to cooperate as a good business gesture.
All the loggers and millers were there. Jason took the pads of paper with him and asked them all to write the following on their paper:
"These words ring true when they have found you!"
He handed everyone a piece of paper; he had his brothers hand out pencils as well. Someone said that his brothers weren't writing that down. Jason answered, "they already did!"
When everyone was done, they put their samples in the basket. Then Jason took his tablet of papers and went to the dorm and had the ladies write the same sentence as well.
"But Jason, that won't tell you anything!" Candy said:
"It only tells you who wrote it. Maybe someone dictated it to someone, then what?" Jason looked at her and smiled and said:
"I already know who the 'Riddler' is, but I need confirmation first!" Candy looked at him. He had that knowing smile and she knew that he would find the other person even if the person dictated the riddles. Someone was nearby and heard that exchange. That person walked away casually, not attracting attention. Jason went to Miss Essie and asked her about her students who could handwrite. He asked if she could give him a sample of her handwriting as well, She smiled and said yes. She knew what Jason was up to, but she did not let on. She also knew the culprit as well. Once he had his handwriting samples in hand, he went to Lottie's and asked her for her handwriting sample and Aaron for his.
"Oh, one more Aaron, I know that Julie is visiting would you mind if I ask her for a sample as well?" Jason asked, knowing that Aaron might say no.
"Why yes Jason! You can go ask her yourself if you want to!" said Aaron with a look on his face like he had the day that she and Jason had pulled the wool over his eyes saying they wanted to get married. But he had every confidence that she would not be doing the same thing again or something like what happened here. Jason said thank you and went to Aaron's house where he met Julie Stemple.
"Well, ex-fiancé, how are you today?" he said when she opened the door. Jullie Stemple laughed at him and said:
"Well, ex-fiancé I am quite well, what pray tell brings you over in the middle of the day?" she said as she invited him in. Aaron would not like her having a gentleman caller without some kind of chaperone but then she and Jason had had a short 'romance' and it was fun!
"I wanted to get a sample of your handwriting?" he said and handed her the paper and told her what he wanted her to write. She wrote it for him and smiled. They gave each other a hug and he left. Sometimes she wondered if she had married Jason what their life would be like, but she already knew. He was married to his mountain; her life would be miserable, and his life would always be the same except he would have someone to come home to and take care of. She sighed and shut the door.